A 49 year old accountant arrested on suspicion of siphoning off some €3m from the group of companies that employs her will remain in police custody for another eight days after Limassol district court renewed a remand for the fourth time.
The woman has maintained her right to remain silent.
Her husband was also remanded in custody on Saturday after police said his signature was on at least 19 forged cheques worth more than €20,000 issued in his name, his wife’s name as well as in the names of former and current employees of the group of companies. He too has maintained his right to silence.
The case is complex, the court said in agreeing to the police request to renew the woman’s remand. Police investigations have expanded to members of her family. The court heard today that while the woman was in custody, four houses in her name and a car were transferred to her husband and son.
Limassol €3m theft probe: Accountant’s husband arrested, remanded
Police also said that her sister had purchased a €25,000 car for a friend who said that this was in payment for physiotherapy sessions provided..
The brother of her husband was also questioned yesterday but would not explain how the woman’s car came to be transferred in his name last February.
Police say the son had at one point allegedly featured as an employee of the company, and received cheques, even though he never worked there.
Cheques were found to have allegedly been issued two and three times to beneficiaries, while there are serious deficits in the company’s accounts estimated at €3.4 m by external auditors.
Police have so far taken 131 statements and carried out seven searches. They have also tried to recover data the woman allegedly deleted from computers.
They plan to take another 142 statements, mostly from beneficiaries of cheques that appear forged. Statements will also be taken by members of the woman’s family, bank employees and others. Investigations are pending before the Land and Surveys department, the Road Transport department, the registrar of Companies and customs as well as bank accounts of family members.
Even though defence objected, the court agreed to renew the remand.
